sir

From Middle English sir, unstressed form of sire, borrowed from Old French sire (“master, sir, lord”), from Latin senior (“older, elder”), from senex (“old”). Doublet of seigneur, seignior, senhor, senior, señor, signor, and sire.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɜː(ɹ)/
• (General American) enPR: ˈsûr, IPA^(key): /ˈsɝ/

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• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪɹ/
• (Indian English) IPA^(key): /ˈsə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)

sir (plural sirs)

1. A man of a higher rank or position.
2. A respectful term of address to a man of higher rank or position, particularly:
   • 1991 May 12, "Kidnapped!" Jeeves and Wooster, Series 2, Episode 5:

     Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.
     B. Wooster: Hm? What happened in 1776, Jeeves?
     Jeeves: I prefer not to dwell on it, if it's convenient to you, sir.

   1. to a knight or other low member of the peerage.

      Just be careful. He gets whingy now if you don't address him as Sir John.

   2. to a superior military officer.

      Sir, yes sir.

      Coordinate term: ma'am

   3. to a teacher.

      Here's my report, sir.

      Coordinate term: miss

3. A respectful term of address to an adult male (often older), especially if his name or proper title is unknown.

   Excuse me, sir, do you know the way to the art museum?

   Coordinate terms: madam, ma'am, miss

sir (third-person singular simple present sirs, present participle sirring, simple past and past participle sirred)

1. To address (someone) using "sir".

   Sir, yes, sir!
   Don't you sir me, private! I work for a living!

   Coordinate terms: ma'am, mam

• lord
• (titles) (of a man): Mr (Mister, mister), Sir (sir); (of a woman): Ms (Miz, mizz), Mrs (Mistress, mistress), Miss (miss), Dame (dame), Madam (madam, ma'am); (of a non-binary person): Mx (Mixter); (see also): Dr (Doctor, doctor) ^{(Category: en:Titles)}

• sir in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• sir in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911

• IRS, IRs, ISR, Isr., RIS, RIs, RSI, SRI

• IPA^(key): /siɾ/, [ʃiɾ]

sir

1. appearance
2. earth
3. land, mountain

sir (Cantonese)

1. a respectful honorific to a man senior than oneself

   陳sir／陈sir [Cantonese]  ―  can^4-2 soe⁴ [Jyutping]  ―  Mr. Chan

• 阿Sir

• IPA^(key): /ʃɪɾʲ/

sir (present analytic sireann, future analytic sirfidh, verbal noun sireadh, past participle sirthe)

1. (literary) travel through, traverse
2. (literary) seek out, have recourse to
3. (literary) seek, ask for

   An té a shireas ní ar neach. ― Whoever asks someone for something.

4. (literary) beseech, implore

   Sirim an tAthair. ― I beseech the Father.

sir

1. Alternative form of sire

Unadapted borrowing from English sir.

sir m (uncountable)

1. sir

From Old Irish sirid (“to traverse, seek”). Cognate with Manx shirr.

sir (past shir, future siridh, verbal noun sireadh, past participle sirte)

1. seek, search, look for

   Synonym: lorg

From Proto-Slavic *syrъ, derived from "sour milk".

• IPA^(key): /sîr/

sȉr m (Cyrillic spelling си̏р)

1. cheese

• sȋrnī

From Proto-Slavic *syrъ, derived from "sour milk".

• IPA^(key): /sír/

sȉr m inan

1. cheese

• síriti

• “sir”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran

From Russian сыр (syr).

sir (plural sirlar)

1. cheese

pishloq

From Arabic سِرّ‎ (sirr).

sir (plural sirlar)

1. secret

Borrowed from English shire.

• IPA^(key): /siːr/
• Rhymes: -iːr

sir f (plural siroedd, not mutable)

1. county, shire

• sirol (adjective)

R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “sir”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

Cognate to Silt'e [script needed] (sa:r).

sir

1. grass

• Initial SLLE Survey of the Zway Area by Klaus Wedekind and Charlotte Wedekind, SIL International 2002, p. 6 (sil.org)

Compare Persian سیر‎ (sir, “garlic”).

• IPA^(key): [ˈsiɾ]
• Hyphenation: sir

sir m

1. garlic